California

Wildfire Near California's Big Sur Coast 35% Contained

A crew of about 50 Cal Fire San Diego firefighters was sent over the weekend to help defend against the fire

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A wildfire that erupted last week amid strong winds in rugged mountains near California's Big Sur coast was 35% contained Monday, authorities said.

Improved mapping on Sunday reduced the fire's size to about 700 acres (283 hectares), the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.

Colorado fire breaks out in Big Sur
MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images
Using water from the Pacific Ocean, a Cal Fire helicopter prepares to make a drop on the Colorado Fire burning in Big Sur, California, Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022.

The blaze erupted Friday evening as strong, dry, offshore winds raked California with damaging gusts.

Named the Colorado Fire for its starting point in Palo Colorado Canyon, the blaze triggered evacuation orders for about 500 people in the lightly populated area about 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of San Francisco.

A crew of about 50 Cal Fire San Diego firefighters was sent over the weekend to help defend against the blaze.

The fire's cause remained under investigation.

Elsewhere, wind damage was still being tallied, especially in communities on the foothills of mountains east of Los Angeles.

The city of Claremont said it was “an unprecedented wind event” that destroyed a large number of trees and damaged homes, businesses, sidewalks and infrastructure.

Forecasters predicted the San Francisco Bay region will be dry and mild this week while Southern California will experience another round of gusty Santa Ana winds late Tuesday through Wednesday.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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